The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-31
UNPUBLISHED LETTERS BE LINCOLN
Some Opinions Expresssd Between the Dates
of His Election and Inau gTraFion.

Some Opinions Expresses Between the Dates
of His Election and inauguration.
November tury.-
We have given samples OF these solicitations
coming from Republicans. from Donsias Demo
Gratis. and from the adherents or l>eii' tue io,
lowing. coming from the fourth poAtieai ecnoo''
will perhaps be found OF equal II no. sIsa .s
interest. It's origin is given IN the Wof as OF Tue
principal actor. Gen. Duff Green. VINO, III Ie.,
ter some three years afterwards, TINS deserioeo
In Deceu Der. 1860. at the request OF shs sresl.
dent of the United States. went to Sprngn's 70 pa
Mr.. Lincoln and him to go to Washington anu
exert his influence in aid of the adjustment or .he
question then pending between the North !. a.y 10
him that if he he would be received and tf1a.eo
Lincoln his house, and did the nece ssily
of his going to Washington and uniting his efforts IN
alone could prevent civil and that if he did nct
go. upon his conscience must rest the blood tLss'
would be she'd
..Whether this proposition came by authority
or not. Lincoln could not publicly either question
the truth of the envoy the motive
of the mission. In either case the
appeal was most adroity laid. OF course it WAS
impossible to accept even to entertain IL; on
the other hand. a simple refusal might be made
the basis of very serious MISREPRESENTATION. he
therefore wrote the following reply
SPRINGFIELD. Ill, Dec. %, 1860
'sGen. Duff Green.
MY Dear Sir-I do not desire any amendment OF
the Constitution. Recognizing. however that cues
tons OF such rsf fs @ in
clined to withhold from them if could falr oppor
of the modes prescribed in the instrument.
'In addition, declare that the maintenance invlo-
late of the right CT the States, and especially tne
right of each State to order and control it's do
mestic institutions according to its own Judgment ex
which the perfection and endurance of our political
fabric depend; and denounce the laless invasion by
armed force of the soil of State or Territory no
after under what pretext, the grayest of crimes
II am greatly avegse 10 writing anything for the
this only upon the condition that six of the twelve
United States Senators for the States OF Georgia Ala
bama Mississippi louisiana Florida and Texas shall
sign their what is written this sheet be-
low name and allow the whole to De PUBLISHED TO-
- we recommend to the people of the. States we
represent. respectively suspend all action Tor os
memberment of the Union, at least until some aco
deemed to be volative of our rights all be done by
the incoming administration
"While the fact definitely known. it is
probable that the letter was delivered. Nothing
further came of Duff Green's mission except q
a letter from himself in the New York Hera!ds
mentioning his visit and its failure. IN the
vaguest generaifies. His whole aim had been
to induce Lincoln tacitly to assume re-
sponsibility for the Southern revolt; and when
the latter by his skilful answer pointed out
the real constructors they were no longer anX-
ious to have publication made.
This letter Lincoln transmitted to Senator
Trumbull at Washington, with the following
direction:
General Duff Green is out here endavorins to
draw letter out of me- have written one which
herewith incose and which believe could not
be used disadvantage. Still. if consultation
with discreet friends you conclude that it do
us harm do deliver it. You need not mentiHn
that the second claus of the letter is copied from the
Chicago platform. If. consultation. friends.
including Yourself. think it can do no harm, keepa
copy and sliver the letter to General Green
THE whole attitude and issue of the coutro-
versy tersely summed up by Lincoln in a
confidential letter to a Republican friend. nm
der date of JAN IL. 1861, that We cannot forbear
citing it IN conclusion:
yours of the 9th is received I answer it only be-
| fear you would miseonstrue my silence
What is present condition? We have just. car
red election principles fairly stated to the peo-
pie. Now are told in advance the government
shall be broken up unless surrender to those we
have beaten. before take the Offices. In this they
either ,empting to play upon us or they are in
dead earnest. Either way if we surrender it is the
end of and of the government. They Will repeat
the experiment upon ad libtum. year will not
pass till shall have to take Cuba q condition
upon which they will stay the Union They
have the Constitution under which have lived
seventy years. and of Congress of their own
framing with prospect of their being changed; and
they ha. a shallow pretext for break
ing up the government. or extorting compromise.
than There is. in my Judgment but one COM
promise which would really settle the slavery
tion and that would be prohibition against acqur
ing any territory